


Does No Mean Yes?

by BirukiMeraki



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Drabbles, Julian is living with MC and Asra, Multi, also he's not a wanted fugitive, do they all share a bed?, fluff?, it's meant to be cute, oops I've made them into my ot3, sooooo this happened, who knows - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-26
Updated: 2017-09-26
Packaged: 2019-01-05 14:51:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12192048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BirukiMeraki/pseuds/BirukiMeraki
Summary: What is it about that jar of leeches and why does it have the word NO scrawled on the label?





	Does No Mean Yes?

**Author's Note:**

> Based on [this](http://joannekingisjoking.tumblr.com/post/165726833866/did-something-happen-here)

It was a rule of thumb for Julian to take stock of his inventory on a bimonthly basis. He may be a hack doctor to some but he'll be damned if he's an  _ underequipped _ hack doctor. He has some standards, please. 

 

Pulling out a drawer, he pulled out a sheaf of papers that had every minute detail of his inventory from a fortnight ago and studied it carefully to make sure everything was properly documented and nothing was amiss. His eyes skimmed over the loopy spindly writing that only he can read, which sometimes even he can't read, especially if he was excited and his penmanship grew increasingly frenzied. Everything seemed in order, he thought with satisfaction as he headed down the stairs into the back room where Asra and his apprentice did their readings. He breathed in the familiar smell of heady incense, already fading since it has been a while since either Asra or his apprentice lit up another batch of incense.

Behind the fabric lining the walls was a narrow hidden door where he kept his medical supplies. He supposed he shouldn't complain about the cramped space he was offered for his things; he  _ did _ drop by unannounced. It was by the grace of the apprentice that he was even given a place to board and practice.

Most days patrons entering the shop wanted their fortunes told but every odd day someone would hear word around the street that there was also a doctor in the house and they sought treatment. Those days were the best; they made him feel important. 

He lit a candle at each corner and sighed happily at the rows of neatly stored plethora of medical knick-knacks, their labels turned to him for easier identification. 

Julian hummed tunelessly as he ticked off one item after another from his checklist, sometimes pulling a jar or vial off the shelf to inspect them properly, see if they've gone bad or the like. His fingers skimmed off one vial after another when they passed by an empty spot on the shelf.

"Odd," Julian muttered as his humming stopped abruptly. He reached in, wondering if the missing jar was just pushed to the back of the narrow shelf. When his knuckles hit the back wall, he stood on tip toe to peer at the shelf, although that was unnecessary, seeing as the shelf already was level with his eyeline. 

No doubt about it, the space on the shelf was empty. Frowning, he skimmed his checklist to see what was missing. A jar of leeches? Why on earth would that disappear? Did the fortune-tellers need it for their fortunes? Impossible. Or is it?

Annoyed, he made a mental note to ask the others if they'd seen his leeches as he continued with taking stock. When that task was done, he extinguished the candles and stepped out of the cramped nook, rolling his shoulders and blinking at the light out the window, still bright enough to hurt, despite the curtains being drawn. He walked up the steep steps to the living quarters above the shop autonomously, his eyes still on his checklist. He tapped a gloved hand on the unaccounted jar of leeches in annoyance.

He entered his room and dimly registered Asra sprawled on his bed. He resigned to the fact since Asra was there his immaculately made bed was now hopelessly rumpled. "Hey, have you seen my leeches?" he asked vaguely, his eyes still on the sheaf of papers. He heard a small hiss and a dry rustle before he felt something climb up his leg. "Hey, Faust," he mumbled, absentmindedly patting the familiar on the head as Faust flicked a forked tongue at him.

"What?" Asra rolled over, tangling the sheets even more.

"My leeches," Julian repeated, still not looking up from his papers. "I was taking stock of my stuff and it's missing. Do you need it for fortune-telling?"

"Why would I need leeches?" Asra drawled, holding out a hand. "Come here, Faust."

Obediently, the snake slithered off Julian's shoulders to meet her master. "Say hello to your sibling," Asra cooed.

Faust hissed lightly in response.

"Well if you didn't take it, did your apprentice take it?" Julian asked, annoyed at Asra's lackadaisical reaction.

"Like I said, why would we use leeches for fortune-telling? I would rather use your flowers; they have a stronger tie," Asra teased.

"Can you take this seriously? If I'm missing them I'll need to go out and get more and who knows when I can get fresh leeches," Julian finally looked up from his papers, almost scowling in annoyance. His scowl became an open-mouthed gape as he noticed the brown shape between Asra's thumb and forefinger. "My leeches!" he exclaimed, pointing comically at the magician. "You said you didn't have them!"

Asra turned his gaze towards his hand. "Ohhhh, you mean  _ this _ leech."

"What else would I mean?" the doctor snarled as he aimed to grab at the dangling leech.

Asra held Julian back with one hand and raised the leech over his head. "But Faust needs a baby brother!" he protested loudly.

" _ Faust _ is a snake,  _ that _ is a leech; they're two completely different things!"

"No they're not they're similar enough to be siblings!" Asra locked his elbow and kept his hand planted firmly on Julian's chest to keep him at bay.

" _ Oh really? _ How so?" Julian asked sardonically, leaning back and away from Asra, his arms crossed over his chest.

"They're like me and Muriel!" Asra exclaimed happily.

"That's just mean towards Muriel," the doctor pointed out.

Asra nodded and seemed to consider it for a moment. "They're both tails with faces," he said finally. Cocking his head abruptly, like he heard something, he turned to look at Faust. "Of course you're real what are you saying?"

Seeing as Asra was momentarily distracted, Julian made a wild sweep and managed to grab the leech out of the magician's hand. "Aha!" he crowed victoriously over Asra's loud protests. "Now where are the rest of my leeches?" he asked menacingly.

Asra tossed his head and said nothing else. Julian sighed and rubbed his tired eyes, careful to keep the leech away from his face. He knew he wouldn't be getting anything else from the fortune-teller.

"Don't you dare," Asra said suddenly, not to him but to Faust. The familiar blinked at him once and slithered across the bed and up Julian's arm. She gave Asra a long look but he turned away with a huff. "Fine, be a traitor!"

She flicked out her tongue delicately and turned to face Julian, letting out a short hiss. Julian had no connection with the snake and did not communicate with her the same way Asra seems to do so he just raised an eyebrow quizzically. "What?"

Faust let out another short hiss and swayed her serpentine body seemingly towards the direction of the door. 

"Outside?"

Faust blinked.

"Oookay."

As Julian walked out the door Asra called out, "Good luck getting treats from  _ me _ this week!"

"Don't worry, I'll get you the treats," Julian murmured just loud enough for Asra to hear before shutting the door with a crisp clip.

The doctor walked uncertainly down the steep steps and glanced at Faust, who blinked again. Taking it as an affirmative, he pointed at the front door questioningly. When Faust stared at him unblinkingly, he pointed out the back door. She let out a short hiss then and he figured he was going the right way.

At the back of the shop was a little plot of land that the fortune-tellers plant their herbs when they can and by the corner of the plot of land was a rickety table and a stump for sitting. On that stump sat the apprentice, who was hunched over the table, back turned towards them.

"Hey," Julian called out as he made his way to them.

"Dr. Jules!" the apprentice gasped and looked like they were trying to shield something from his view.

"I was wondering if you've seen my leech-"

His question was cut short when he saw the remaining leeches strewn across the table in various odd poses. One was flopping on a matchbox while another stood in front of a hoop. The final missing leech was crawling over a piece of thread tied between the leech jar and the stem of a herb.

Julian let out a long, drawn out sigh as he rubbed his eyes again. "What," he sighed, "are you doing?"

"Uh-"

"Please," he cut off any excuse they were about to make, "tell me you're not doing what I think you're doing."

"I'm not doing what you think I'm doing?" the apprentice parroted hopefully.

"Please tell me you're not training my leeches for what apparently is a circus." Julian's words sounded heavy as he pressed his fingers to his eyes.

"Oh well in that case I was doing exactly what you think I was doing," they said brightly.

Julian drew another long and heavy sigh. "Should I ask why?"

"If Billy from down the street can train his beetles for the circus I can train your leeches!"

"I was afraid of that," he groaned. "Give me my leeches."

"But Little Joe is doing much better on the tightrope! And I was getting Miss Mitts to finally get into the hoop!" the apprentice argued.

"You named my leeches," Julian groaned in disbelief.

"Yeah well I had to distinguish them  _ somehow _ ."

"Unbelievable. This is not happening."

"You'll have front row seats for their premier! If I could get Faust to be the ringleader?" The apprentice's voice trailed off hopefully as they glanced at the familiar.

Faust let out a sharp hiss and the apprentice deflated. "Ah well it seems the premier is slightly delayed. But I'll let you know when it will happen for real!"

"You are not starting a leech circus  _ with my leeches! _ " Julian roared, his patience wearing thin.

"Why not?"

"Use your own creatures!"

"You think I haven't tried?" the apprentice crossed their arms over their chest. "The snails were too slow, the ladybirds were out of control, and the birds kept eating their ladybird partners!" Each creature mentioned was ticked off of their long, elegant fingers.

"And leeches were your next best bet? Use beetles like Billy does!" Julian covered the distance between them in two long strides and bent over to pick up his leeches, dismantling the "tightrope" as he did.

"Beetles are Billy's thing, I'm trying to find my thing!"

"Well I'm making leeches not your thing either!"

The apprentice scoffed and scowled mightily at him, making Julian relent and regret his harshness.

"These aren't pets," he explained patiently. "They're medical apparatuses." Suddenly, an idea occured to him. "Why don't you go and ask Nadia for some creatures? I bet the castle is teeming with them."

The apprentice's eyes lit up. "That's a great idea!" They jumped off the stump and skipped to the back gate, unlocking it with a hum. They stopped abruptly and turned to face him. "Do you think Mercedes and Malchior are up for a few tricks?" they asked excitedly.

He tried to hide his grimace by turning it into a smile. "Why don't you go ahead and see?"

"All right!"

Exhausted, Julian finally had his leeches accounted for and collapsed into the reading chair, flinging his arm over his eyes. Not for the first time, he considered moving in with Pasha, or Portia, as she is now known. Maybe he wouldn't have to deal with such shenanigans if he lived with her.

Wistfully, he played with the idea of coming back from a supply run to see her smiling at him cheekily, her usually tied up flame red hair loose and falling down her back in cascades. 

But then he remembered, she would probably join either Asra or the apprentice in their shenanigans and he felt doubly tired all of a sudden. Maybe I am right where I am supposed to be, he thought blearily as he fell into a light nap.

 

The next time either Asra or the apprentice peered into his supply cupboard, they saw the leech jar with two large, red letters dominating the label. NO.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm hoping to write more little pieces like this on the trinkets I get on the daily spins. Send me a message on Tumblr to have your trinket featured!


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